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Saturday, December 31, 2011

Title: UNDER THE NEVER SKY
Author: Veronica Rossi
Publisher: HarperTeen
Release Date: January 3, 2012
Number of Pages: 384
Source of Book: ARC from NCTE Convention

Aria is a teenager in
the enclosed city of Reverie. Like all Dwellers, she spends her time
with friends in virtual environments, called Realms, accessed through an
eyepiece called a Smarteye. Aria enjoys the Realms and the easy life in
Reverie. When she is forced out of the pod for a crime she did not
commit, she believes her death is imminent. The outside world is known
as The Death Shop, with danger in every direction.

As an Outsider, Perry has always known hunger, vicious predators,
and violent energy storms from the swirling electrified atmosphere
called the Aether. A bit of an outcast even among his hunting tribe,
Perry withstands these daily tests with his exceptional abilities, as he
is gifted with powerful senses that enable him to scent danger, food
and even human emotions.

They come together reluctantly, for Aria must depend on Perry, whom
she considers a barbarian, to help her get back to Reverie, while Perry
needs Aria to help unravel the mystery of his beloved nephew’s abduction
by the Dwellers. Together they embark on a journey challenged as much
by their prejudices as by encounters with cannibals and wolves. But to
their surprise, Aria and Perry forge an unlikely love - one that will
forever change the fate of all who live UNDER THE NEVER SKY.

Something about this book has gotten under my skin. UNDER THE NEVER SKY is one of those books that grows on you. The more I sit here thinking about it (because I can't stop thinking about it now that I've finished it) the more I keep thinking how good it really was. It has a quiet impact that builds slowly until I realized that this story really got to me. Aria and Perry are both well-drawn characters who are fighting to do what's right, find answers, and keep themselves safe in a scary world where they often feel alone. They face fears, follow a journey, surmount obstacles, and literally fight to live while learning about each other and themselves. This book is equally both of their stories-told in third person but from alternating points of view (indicated first through the chapter headings of Aria or Perregrine). This story was so much more meaningful and layered because we got both of these perspectives.

The future world that Veronica has created is a scary place,
and it's not survivable without friends and supporters, but who can be
trusted in the wild unknown? Certainly not the ones you've been taught
to be scared of your whole life...right? Aria finds out more than she
expected to when she ends up in "The Death Shop" after a tragic event in
the Pod where she has lived her whole life. In the Pod she has the newest technology and inventions that made life easy-much of it was spent in the "Realms" which are the virtual worlds in which they experience what it might be like outside, but can virtual ever be as good as real? And can one who has spent her life being scared of outsiders, come to trust them for her survival? And then there's the differences that these "savages" have. The elements of the senses that are enhanced in certain people added a layer that I really enjoyed reading about, and added conflicts that will greatly affect these characters. It also added some of the most beautifully written parts of the book in talking about how people's "tempers" look and smell. The conversations between Aria and Perry were engaging and drew me into their building relationship.

There are plot twists and reveals and secrets and insights that I did
not expect throughout this book, which was a really good thing. The pacing of the plot starts off letting us get used to this world, and then steadily increases as Aria and Perry set out on their journeys to save themselves and find those they love, until I found myself holding my breath at parts hoping for the best for these characters I enjoyed spending time with. This story is about strength and change and fears and subtle bravery and honesty and doing what's right no matter how at odds it seems with what you should be doing. There are touching moments and scary moments and heart-pounding moments and and exciting moments and tear-evoking moments and romantic moments and gasp-worthy moments and laugh out loud moments to lighten the mood (mostly provided by Roar). It's a quiet, subtle book in the way that it captured me into the story, wrapped around my heart, and wouldn't let me go - in the way of the Aether storms that they're all running from which are destroying the outside world.

The ending of this first book was beautifully conceived, and although it sets things up for what will need to happen in the next book, it still provided an ending to the main character's journeys in this first book that left me with a sense of completeness and contentedness for the journey they took in this book-and exemplified the strength they both discovered in themselves through each other. If it hadn't provided that ending, I would have been disappointed with a cliffhanger, but, thankfully, Veronica didn't do that to us, so I was able to end with a sense of peace and hope. I'm highly anticipating where this trilogy is going to head in the next book, and I can't wait to spend more time with Aria and Perry (and hopefully Roar and Cinder and Talon too!).

Humans and androids
crowd the raucous streets of New Beijing. A deadly plague ravages the
population. From space, a ruthless lunar people watch, waiting to make
their move. No one knows that Earth’s fate hinges on one girl. . . .

Cinder, a gifted mechanic, is a cyborg. She’s a second-class citizen
with a mysterious past, reviled by her stepmother and blamed for her
stepsister’s illness. But when her life becomes intertwined with the
handsome Prince Kai’s, she suddenly finds herself at the center of an
intergalactic struggle, and a forbidden attraction. Caught between duty
and freedom, loyalty and betrayal, she must uncover secrets about her
past in order to protect her world’s future.

In this thrilling debut young adult novel, the first of a quartet,
Marissa Meyer introduces readers to an unforgettable heroine and a
masterfully crafted new world that’s enthralling.

I liked CINDER a lot - it was one of those books that kept me turning pages because of the well-paced plot and I didn't want to stop reading it. It was a little predictable, but also exciting. There were parts I thought I knew what was going to happen, and they ended up a little different, but overall I felt like I knew many of the big things were going to happen before they occurred. Now, because this is a retelling so has a basic structure of familiar things sI would look for, that's to be expected, but I wanted more of the big moments to be more a surprise to me. However, I still really enjoyed reading it, and can see that this would actually be good for my middle school students.

This book is full of political intrigue, suspense, action, and not knowing what would happen next or how things would work out. There is an intergalactic battle brewing and it adds another whole element to the tension of the story beyond just what is going to happen to Cinder. There was strong world-building as I felt as if I was there with the characters and understood what was happening and why they were dealing with the things they were, but it wasn't overly drawn out with lengthy sections for exposition. It was worked right in and pieces were slowly revealed to the reader as the characters learned them. There are androids and cyborgs and netscreens and hovercrafts and all kinds of technological advancements which add a great science-fiction element to the story as well.

One of my favorite parts of the book was the characters. Cinder is just a warm-hearted character - I was really pulling for
her to make it through all of her difficulties. I liked her and I wanted
her to come out on top in the end. She is kind and caring even though
she has not received this same treatment from others in her life. She is
brave, but she has no idea how brave until she is faced with some
difficult choices, and realizes what she would and can do to help save
people. She is finding her strength throughout this book, and she does
it all with an integrity of character that is admirable. She may not be
physically 100% human, but that doesn't mean that she doesn't have the
feeling and thoughts of one (contrary to what some might believe).

There were some great secondary characters (Peony,
Ito, Kai) who were endearing as well and made it possible to believe that Cinder would have the
will to get through some of the stuff she's going through. And, there are also the requisite evil characters who I really hated (as I was supposed to). Prince Kai is actually my favorite character and he has the start of a sweet romance going on, but he has a whole lot of other issues to deal with as well. I have to say that I would have liked even more of Kai; although, the third person writing style gives us a lot of insight into his character and feelings, but mostly from Cinder's perspective. Kai is strong and sweet and young and looking for something to help him through as he is forced to grow up really fast, and I was definitely supporting him throughout.

The ending was intense...I'm not sure where this story could go next. It was previewed a little bit in the final conversation, but I'm still not sure what to expect from the second book. I'm glad this is going to be a quartet of books, but can't believe that means we'll have to wait until 2015 to get the end of the story! I will definitely be picking up the rest of the books though to see what happens with Cinder and Kai next!

Thursday, December 29, 2011

Welcome to my 2nd Annual Best I've Read post!
It's always fun to reflect back on the awesome books I read over the course of a year and think about the ones that really stuck with me. I read a lot of great books this year (84), and it was really hard to narrow it down, (but I've always liked to do things my own way) so I decided to do a roundup of the top books and authors (with a separate middle grades category) I read.This list is based on books I read this year, not
necessarily books that were released in 2011, but any future releases I read will be saved for next year's list. I hope you'll find some inspiration on this list!Happy New Year and Happy Reading!

A threat from the past could destroy the future. And the clock is ticking...
Kaleb Ballard's relentless flirting is interrupted when Jack Landers,
the man who tried to murder his father, timeslips in and attacks before
disappearing just as quickly. But Kaleb has never before been able to
see time travelers, unlike many of his friends associated with the
mysterious Hourglass organization. Are Kaleb's powers expanding, or is
something very wrong?Then the Hourglass is
issued an ultimatum. Either they find Jack and the research he's stolen
on the time gene, or time will be altered with devestating results.
Now Kaleb, Emerson, Michael, and the other Hourglass recruits have no
choice but to use their unusual powers to find Jack. But where do they
even start? And when? And even if they succeed, it may not be enough...
The follow-up to Hourglass, Timepiece blends the paranormal, science
fiction, mystery, and suspense genres into a nonstop thrill ride where
every second counts.

My first recommendation is
that you go back and reread HOURGLASS before starting TIMEPIECE (or at
least the end of the first book with all of the reveals). If I had done
that, I probably wouldn't have felt as confused by this sequel. The
backstory that Myra has created in this series about time travel is
extensive, which is a great thing to keep me thinking, but it also
requires that I pay attention so I can follow along with what's
happening. At the end of the first book which Emerson narrates, the
Hourglass organization and the time-travel aspects were explained
clearly, but I read that one awhile ago, so as I was thrown right back
into the middle of it with TIMEPIECE, I was feeling a little bit lost
because there were some specific details I couldn't remember that were
referenced often in this book as they were the impetus for everything
that happens. So, go reread the end of the first book and then jump
right into the continuing plot in this one.

Since the
second book starts right in the middle of the action, it makes it even
more exciting than the first one because the characters and reader now
know the basics of the time-travel aspects and the "battle" that is
going on with the villains (or are they?). This book is nonstop action
and suspense as the Hourglass kids try to figure out what is really
going on so they can fix the time-space continuum that is a little off
kilter right at the moment. This is all done within the context of the
quaint setting of this small town of Ivy Springs again with some of the
same loveable cast of characters.

However, (and I
didn't know this going into it) this second book has a narrator switch,
and this time we get to hear Kaleb's voice talking us through the story.
I loved this change as he is an entertaining (and highly snarky) and deeply layered
character who is often misunderstood. Seeing his empathy abilities from
his perspective created depth to this book that added an emotional core
to the science-fiction story. I loved getting to know him better and
feeling for him and his situations even more. Emerson's best friend Lily
also plays a larger role in this book which was fun because she's a
great character too. Myra has a distinct ability to make us fall in love
with her characters and to fall in love with others as they do in the
story. It seems so realistic because we're enmeshed in the emotion with
them as they struggle with their feelings and we take the journey with
them.

This book has lots of reveals, lots of suspense,
lots of entertainment, and lots of thinking to it, and I enjoyed reading
it. There is a feeling of an ending to this book, but it also sets
things up for the next book really well at the end. Although this is a
second book, it still had action and resolution to things so avoided
that "second book in a trilogy" drudge that some trilogies I've read
have. I'm intrigued to see where this story will go, and especially who
might be narrating the next book in the series. Definitely add this one
to your summer reading list.

For months part-angel
Clara Gardner trained to face the raging forest fire from her visions
and rescue the alluring and mysterious Christian Prescott from the
blaze. But nothing could prepare her for the fateful decisions she would
be forced to make that day, or the startling revelation that her
purpose—the task she was put on earth to accomplish—is not as
straightforward as she thought. Now, torn between her increasingly
complicated feelings for Christian and her love for her boyfriend,
Tucker, Clara struggles to make sense of what she was supposed to do the
day of the fire. And, as she is drawn further into the world of part
angels and the growing conflict between White Wings and Black Wings,
Clara learns of the terrifying new reality that she must face: Someone
close to her will die in a matter of months. With her future uncertain,
the only thing Clara knows for sure is that the fire was just the
beginning.
In this
heart-wrenching sequel, Cynthia Hand expertly captures the all-consuming
joy of first love—and the agony of loss.

In this second book in the trilogy, Clara is trying to find her place in the world as a part angel (which she discovered in the first book) while reconciling the fact that she doesn't think she fulfilled her "purpose" from the first book when she went to save her boyfriend, Tucker, instead of staying with Christian (another part angel). Meanwhile, her brother is being difficult and withdrawn ever since she saw him after the fire and she has no idea why, and her mother is holding back information which is frustrating to Clara because she doesn't totally understand what is happening. While that all worries her, she is so focused on herself because of the new visions she is having and what they might mean - and which boy is and which boy isn't there. She is struggling with not only her new angel self, but her non-angel boyfriend who she truly loves, but feeling drawn to Christian and not understanding why he seems to "get" her so well and how they can communicate. So, is it a triangley romance? Yes, but it's much more than that too.

I don't want to give too much away because part of the goodness of this book was discovering pieces of information along with Clara. When Clara gets it, we as the reader start to have more pieces fall into place, and we feel along with Clara. I can say that it is heart-breaking toward the end, which the whole book is leading up to, and there were tears for me. However, Clara does learn more about her family - both biological and friend and angel - and I am left with hope that she will have the support she needs to get through anything. This book is about Clara's struggle with being pulled in two directions, and whether she can find the strength to do what she wants or what she was meant to do. It's an inner struggle of how much free will does she wants to exert.

I really enjoy the characters in these books, both main and secondary. I also really enjoy the interactions between them. I especially like the introduction of Clara's father and everything that goes along with him being in her life again. There is a little bit of snark and sass and humor to the writing that keeps me entertained and helps take away from some of the heaviness of the book. I also like the way that there are times where it seems as if Clara is talking right to us as the reader. There were some very snarkily humorous direct references to other very popular teen books and the way in which some of the characters act. Clara's asides about how she never thought she'd be "that girl" but is anyway make me laugh.

As much as I like Cynthia's overall writing style, the one thing that throws me off is how time passes in her books. This book takes place over the course of a school year, but some times have many more events and much more detail, and others don't. But sometimes I would flip to a new chapter and not realize that we had jumped forward in time so much. Because of the transitions not being there, I felt confused at some times right when they chapters started. Overall, I really enjoy this series, and will be anxiously awaiting the third book to find out what will happen with Clara now that high school is over, but I also appreciate that this book didn't end on a cliffhanger, but just me wanting to stay with Clara a little longer.

It happens at the start
of every November: the Scorpio Races. Riders attempt to keep hold of
their water horses long enough to make it to the finish line. Some
riders live. Others die.

At age nineteen, Sean Kendrick is the returning champion. He is a
young man of few words, and if he has any fears, he keeps them buried
deep, where no one else can see them.

Puck Connolly is different. She never meant to ride in the Scorpio
Races. But fate hasn’t given her much of a chance. So she enters the
competition — the first girl ever to do so. She is in no way prepared
for what is going to happen.

I have to be honest - I'm a little bit torn about this book. I LOVE Maggie Stiefvater's writing and all of her other books, but THE SCORPIO RACES was a little harder for me to get sucked in to. I had so many teacher friends whose opinions I really trust tell me this was a fantastic book, but I couldn't quite get into the can't-put-this-book-down type of feeling.....until I got about halfway through the book (and it's a pretty long 404 pages), and then I got so hooked into it and didn't want to stop reading until I got to the exciting conclusion of this standalone story. But it did take me a couple of starts & stops to get there. So, if you feel the same way at the start, give it time and a chance. Maggie continues her beautifully lyrical writing in this book, but it seems to be in an even more sophisticated mood-provoking and descriptive way. This is a quiet book, but Maggie's research into the various water horses mythology stories and English cliff settings is apparent throughout in the emotion and feeling her words evoke.

The way the setting is used to create the mood in this book is done with such a deft and subtle hand that it instantly draws the reader into the story from the start. The setting is a character of it's own right in this book, as it needs to be. And the water horses are one of the most interesting mythological/fantasy/paranormal elements I've read about in awhile. It's a heart-wrenching story of friendship and family and what love means and what really, truly matters for people. It's about courage and dedication and loyalty and figuring out who people are and where they're meant to be that really matters. It's about having the courage and strength to go after those things that one wants and the bravery and dedication to see it through to the end no matter how difficult. It's about finding your place in the world and doing everything to keep it yours.

It's a book with a sweet romance and dedicated families and intriguing mythology and people discovering who they want to be and what makes them who they are - and then living that life. The romance is quiet and subtle and innocent and meaningful and heart-warming. The loyalty of not only people, but horses also, pulls the tears out at the end, but in such a way that it's sad and hopeful at the same time because everyone wants someone who understands them completely and would be dedicated to staying with them no matter what. THE SCORPIO RACES is different from everything else I've read out there in the mood that is created by the setting and writing, and it's an achingly beautiful read (even if it takes a little while to get into it).

Emma and her friend
Chloe are spending vacation in Florida. When Emma (literally) runs into a
hot guy named Galen on the beach, little does she know he’s a prince of
the Syrena. Galen and Emma both feel something strange – is it
attraction? – and Galen suspects that Emma might well be the girl he’s
heard of – a human who can communicate with fish.

What follows is a deadly scene with a shark in which Galen witnesses
Emma’s gifts. He must know more about her, and follows her back to New
Jersey, and high school, to find out for sure if she’s the key to saving
his kingdom. Soon, Emma can’t deny her feelings for him, but can’t
explain them, either – and both she and Galen must learn more about
where she comes from and what her powers are before they can trust one
another and their feelings.

This book was not what I was expecting, but ohmysweetgoodness
I really enjoyed it. This might actually be the first mermaid story
I’ve read. I picked it up because I thought it might fit into the
mythology books I was pulling together, and it has slight references,
but was more about the world of the Syrena (mermaids/men). It pretty
much pulled me in from the beginning with one of those “girl meets
someone who she’s drawn to but doesn’t know why” kind of starts. But it
doesn’t end up continuing in quite that way because by chapter two,
we’re switched to the boy’s perspective and get a whole new view on who
he is. We also get a romance that builds on it’s own and it’s
insta-attraction, but not insta-love. I appreciated the alternating
perspectives with each chapter, although it did take me a little while
to get used to Emma’s chapters being in first person and Galen’s
chapters being in third person. Because it switched points-of-view so
often, I did feel like each time I started a new chapter it took me a
few sentences to readjust my mindset; however, I did like the way in
which it was written. The
humorous moments in this book are plenty, and really add to the reader
being engaged with the story. Emma is innocent and has no idea what’s
going on with the world of Syrena in the beginning (and I do love a
feisty and snarky main character) who doesn’t take crap from anyone, and
Galen is flustered and confused and trying to figure it all out - both
the human world and the situation that’s going on. Galen is just such a
good, sweet guy too - the surprise date is one of the sweetest I’ve
read. There is also a little sense of political intrigue with the
backstory of the division between the Triton Syrena and the Poseidon
Syrena and how Emma fits into it all. But it’s the characters that
really make this book as fun and engaging as it is. They are written in a
way that makes me want to go hang out and laugh with them, but also in a
way that makes me totally feel for them as they try to work things out
with each other.I
did have a couple of things that pulled me out of the story a little
bit, and I’m not sure if it’s because I was reading an advanced reader’s
edition (knowing changes can still be made in copyedits) or just some
terminology that this author uses, but there were a few wordings of
things that threw me off. When I come across something that takes me out
of the story for a minute to try to figure out what it means, it
interrupts the flow for me. My big complaint, though, is the ending. It
happened really fast and made the story feel incomplete to me. I
understand the use of cliffhangers at times, but the way this one was
done it just felt to me like the story stopped at a chapter ending
instead of a story ending. There is too much more to know and find out
and be said, so I’m sure there must be a sequel, but it will feel like a
really long wait for it because of how this one seems to end too
quickly and right in the middle of something.Overall,
it was a keep-wanting-to-turn-pages to see what happens next kind of
book with engaging and endearing characters (Galen’s sister and best
friend are so entertaining), a touch of humor, a bit of
fantasy/supernatural world, and a sweet romance. These poor characters
are put through a lot in this story, but I enjoyed going through it with
them. I will definitely be reading the next book to find out what
happens next (thank goodness she's writing a second book)!

Sunday, December 18, 2011

Follow
the hunt every day during the month of December! Answer the daily
trivia questions from MG and YA books published during 2011 to be
entered into the YA book giveaway.

Today's question is from Shine by Lauren Myracle.

Question #35: What does Wally illegally sell?

Remember to fill out your answer in the form at Most Important Letter here!

Are you a YA book lover?

Then you might want to try out the 2011 YA Story Scavenger Hunt. 62
trivia questions on 62 different YA books (published in 2011) on
31 blogs on all 31 days of December! http://mostimportantletter.wordpress.com

Wednesday, December 14, 2011

Just got this announcement for a contest today for aspiring YA/MG writers! Sounds like a great opportunity to get feedback on a manuscript! Good luck!

Win a literary agent or acclaimed author's feedback on your
unpublished manuscript for young adult or middle grade readers. This
rare opportunity is being offered to the six winners of an essay contest
recently announced by the literacy charity Book Wish Foundation. See
http://bookwish.org/contest for full details.

You could win a manuscript critique from:

Laura Langlie, literary agent for Meg Cabot

Nancy Gallt, literary agent for Jeanne DuPrau

Brenda Bowen, literary agent and editor of Karen Hesse's Newbery Medal winner Out of the Dust

Ann M. Martin, winner of the Newbery Honor for A Corner of the Universe

Francisco X. Stork, winner of the Amelia Elizabeth Walden Award for The Last Summer of the Death Warriors

Cynthia Voigt, winner of the Newbery Medal for Dicey's Song and the Newbery Honor for A Solitary Blue

All that separates you from this prize is a 500-word essay about a short story in Book Wish Foundation's new anthology, WHAT YOU WISH FOR.

A stellar collection from Newbery medalists and bestselling authors written to benefit Darfuri refugees

With contributions from some of the best talent writing for children today, WHAT YOU WISH FOR
is a compelling collection of affecting, inspiring, creepy, and
oft-times funny short stories and poems all linked by the universal
power of a wish - the abstract things we all wish for - home, family,
safety and love.

From the exchange of letters between two girls
who have never met but are both struggling with the unexpected curves of
life, to the stunning sacrifice one dying girl makes for another, to
the mermaid who trades her tail for legs, to the boy who unwittingly
steals an imp's house, and to the chilling retelling of Cinderella, WHAT YOU WISH FOR
brings together a potent international roster of authors of note to
remember and celebrate the Darfuri refugees and their incredible story
of survival and hope.

Essays are due Feb. 1, 2012 and winners will be announced around Mar.
1, 2012. If you win, you will have six months to submit the first 50
pages of your manuscript for critique (which means you can enter the
contest even if you haven't finished, or started, your manuscript). You
can even enter multiple times, with essays about more than one of the
contest stories, for a chance to win up to six critiques.

If you
dream of being a published author, this is an opportunity you should not
miss. To enter, follow the instructions at
http://bookwish.org/contest.

Tuesday, December 13, 2011

Title: BLOODROSE (Last in the trilogy of NIGHTSHADE (#1) and WOLFSBANE (#2))
Author: Andrea Cremer
Publisher: Philomel (a Penguin imprint)
Release Date: January 3, 2012
Number of Pages: 414
Source of Book: ARC sent from Penguin after NCTE (mostly because I was stalking it and drooling over the one copy they had at their booth in the exhibit hall!) Thanks, Penguin Peeps!
Author's Website: blurredhistory.blogspot.com

The Ultimate Sacrifice.

Calla has always welcomed war. But now that the final battle is upon
her, there’s more at stake than fighting. There’s saving Ren, even if
it incurs Shay’s wrath. There’s keeping Ansel safe, even if he’s been
branded a traitor. There’s proving herself as the pack’s alpha, facing
unnamable horrors, and ridding the world of the Keepers’ magic once and
for all. And then there’s deciding what to do when the war ends. If
Calla makes it out alive, that is.

In the final installment of the Nightshade trilogy, New York Times
bestselling author Andrea Cremer creates a novel with twists and turns
that will keep you on the edge of your seat until its final pages. A
dynamic end to this breathtaking trilogy.

This is a tough one to write without spoiling anything, so let me first say, if you've read NIGHTSHADE and WOLFSBANE, you'll definitely love the ending to this trilogy, but if you haven't - go read them...no, seriously, go get them now! NIGHTSHADE was my book obsession of 2010 and as soon as BLOODROSE showed up on my doorstep, I dropped all my other books, and things I should have been doing, and read it for a day and a half straight until I finished. I'm bummed my time to spend with Calla and her pack is over, but I'm satisfied with the resolution to this trilogy and thankful to have experienced this journey and world that Andrea Cremer created for us to enjoy.

This final book in the trilogy is really all about Calla's journey - finding her strength and ability to be in control of her own life/choices/decisions. Calla is a strong character, but I don't think she realized how strong she can be in fighting against the life that she was born into until the events at the start of this book. She really has to come into her own as an alpha in this book. I enjoyed spending time with Calla during this time of upheaval in her life and struggle to balance both sides of her dreams and wants and personality. However, it was tough for me because although it's not all about the boys, it still is a little, and my preferred one did not end up being the one in the way I would have wanted, but I also understand why the story couldn't have ended up that way. It was heartbreaking to me, but I do understand as Andrea tweeted me: she's "bound by blood and bone to the story." Unfortunately, I think deep down as I was reading, I knew it would end up that way, and so the whole time as much as I wanted to love it, I felt myself pulling back a little because I didn't want to read the part I knew was inevitably coming.

This book had quite a bit of suspense as the search is on for the remaining parts of the Scion's sword and action as the war between the Keepers and the Guardians/Searchers came to it's battle-filled conclusion. I enjoyed the suspense and action as well as the characters. The way that the pack dynamics were written drew me into all of the characters even more, and some of my favorites were highlighted in this book. Having other couples and friends dealing with real emotions and relationships (family and pack and Searcher, both friendship and romantic) added a juxtaposition to the search and war situations which kept the reason for the war at the heart of the story. And I enjoyed Connor's comic relief again and the ultimate end to his story. Andrea has an innate intelligence to her writing that I really appreciate. I can tell she knows her history when reading her books and she has created a complex world for us to share for a little while.

I was very satisfied with the ending to this book. In fact, I really loved the very last chapter-it might have been one of my favorites especially because of whose perspective it is told through. There was redemption for many characters and relationships and I felt a sense of a deep breath of satisfaction at the end in knowing everyone was where they should be, living the lives they should be, with the people they could be with. You definitely need to get your hands on this one January 3rd - and make sure to block out some time to read it because once you start, you won't want to stop until the very last word (and even then, you'll probably wish it wasn't over)!

Ellie Taylor loves nothing better than a good argument. So when she
gets accepted to the Christian Society Speech and Performing Arts summer
camp, she's sure that if she wins the final tournament, it'll be her
ticket to a scholarship to the best speech school in the country.
Unfortunately, the competition at CSSPA is hot-literally. His name is
Devon and, whether she likes it or not, being near him makes her sizzle.
Luckily she's confident enough to take on the challenge-until she
begins to suspect that the private scholarship's benefactor has negative
feelings toward Jews. Will hiding her true identity and heritage be
worth a shot at her dream?

Debut author Amy Fellner Dominy mixes sweet romance, surprising
secrets, and even some matzo ball soup to cook up a funny yet heartfelt
story about an outspoken girl who must learn to speak out for herself.

I’ve
been wanting to read this one ever since I first heard about it, and
I’m so glad I finally did. It’s a cute, easy read, and I’m glad to find a
book that will be appropriate for my younger middle school readers, but
doesn’t feel so “middle grades”. The overall plot arc is a little
predictable, but kind of like a good chick flick-you know what I’m
talking about, right? The one you really want to go see because you just
need some comfort watching and pure entertainment even if you know how
it’s all going to go in the end? It follows a safe formula for reluctant
readers, while adding in elements of religion and needing to be true to
self that make it resonate on a deeper level and send the kind of
message I want my students to read. Secondary
characters are fun, but this book really focuses on Ellie and what
she’s going through. I have to say, I’ve never read a book about speech
students, but it added a new twist that gave some unique depth to the
story. Ellie is a fun character who really goes after what she wants.
There is, of course, a boy, and a best friend, and a family, and one
hilariously entertaining grandfather involved. Right wins out in the end
by standing up for oneself, and there are some really strong messages
throughout about prejudice and trying to fit in and doing things for the
right reasons and making sure that you are comfortable with your
actions. OyMG is just a fun, cute, light read that I will definitely be
handing off to my students right away. I look forward to reading Amy's next book as well!

Sunday, December 4, 2011

I've been debating this post: should I do it, how can I word it, can I fully explain how/why I feel so overwhelmed by generosity and appreciation this week without sounding like I'm bragging, is it going to send the wrong message to bloggers who aren't teachers or librarians and make them want to try to "crash" our convention, etc, etc, etc... Why was this so difficult? Because I am an educator, and I was lucky enough to be able to attend the NCTE (National Council of Teachers of English) Convention and the ALAN (Assembly on Literature for Adolescents) Workshop two weeks ago. Did I pay to go? Absolutely (registration, lodging, meals, travel). Was it worth it? Without a doubt - even if I hadn't gotten a single book the knowledge I gained and the relationships I built will help me become better at my job working with kids every day.

Why this IMM (or totebag as the case may be)? Because I decided I wanted my convention experience to include time spent in the exhibit hall also. I talked to publishing reps about what books they're excited about that they have coming up. I asked them for middle grades suggestions. I discussed books I like with them. I got some advanced copies of books they wanted to share with me to take back to my students. I waited in line to buy books to have signed by the authors who were in the exhibit hall. I spent money on buying many books and shipping multiple boxes home and I want to share them with a broader audience than just my classroom. I was overwhelmed by the generosity of the school and library groups at these publishers, and came away with such an appreciation for them and how they support teachers (in a time when we're not always given the best public support) and how thankful they are that we get books into the hands of kids who read them.

Ultimately, I came to this decision: If I'm getting books in my role as an educator, I also feel bound by my role as a blogger to at least mention them on the blog and get the names out there because even though they weren't given to me in my role as a blogger, I still want to show my thanks by helping get the word out and publicize them. However, due to the number of books (120!) there was still the question of how to do this effeciently...so this week's IMM is a little different - the pictures of the book stacks are here instead of individual covers and I'm not listing each title individually with links because it would take way too long (I have other reviews to write and books to read and papers to grade) and make a huge post, but I am linking to goodreads for the titles that I'm most excited about. I hope you enjoy seeing some upcoming titles and can appreciate the intent of this post. And, if you're an English teacher or school librarian or soon-to-be-teacher, NCTE will be in Las Vegas next year, and it is one of the most incredible professional development opportunities I've ever had, and I encourage you to try to go!

In My Mailbox is a posting idea run by Kristi at The Story Siren (read all about it here: In My Mailbox)
for bloggers to share the books they've gotten that
week to help publicize as many titles as possible. It's a
little preview on what book reviews to anticipate along with
a way to build excitement about new titles coming out.
All titles link to goodreads so you can add books to your
"to-read" list.

I cannot say enough how thankful and grateful I am for the overwhelming generosity of the publishers to teachers and librarians who spend so much of their own money to provide books that will be of interest to kids to help get them reading. Thank you, thank you, thank you...most especially to these publishers who really took the time to excitedly talk books and share titles with me: Sourcebooks, Simon & Schuster, Penguin, Bloomsbury, HarperCollins, Macmilian, & Little Brown!!!

Friday, December 2, 2011

Today's question (#4) is from Darkness Becomes Her by Kelly Keaton.What is the name of the mental institution where
Ari looks for clues about what happened to her mother?

Remember to fill out your answer in the form at Most Important Letter here!

Are you a YA book lover?

Then you might want to try out the 2011 YA Story Scavenger Hunt. 62
trivia questions on 62 different YA books (published in 2011) on
31 blogs on all 31 days of December! http://mostimportantletter.wordpress.com

welcome!

Hi! I'm Jillian Heise (pronounced Hi-Z). I'm a K-5 Library Media Teacher in southeastern Wisconsin. I previously taught 7th & 8th grade ELA in the Milwaukee area for eleven years & am National Board Certified. I am a passionate advocate for student choice in reading and the power of shared stories through #classroombookaday picture book read alouds. I also bring my literacy expertise and knowledge of books to my role as Chair of the WSRA Children’s Literature Committee.

In accordance with FTC regulations, this policy is valid from 1 August 2010. This blog is a personal blog written and edited by Jillian Heise. At times, I receive books for free from publishers or authors in exchange for an honest review. The views and opinions expressed on this blog are purely my own and I am not compensated for opinions or reviews.